{
  "abstract": "AI data center power demand is spurring rapid deployment of on- and near-site natural gas turbines. The resulting nitrogen oxide NO$_x$ pollution is a growing concern but has not previously been quantified with atmospheric observations. Here we demonstrate space-based detection and quantification of NO$_x$ emissions from the SpaceXAI Colossus 2 power plant in Southaven, Mississippi. Using observations from the geostationary TEMPO satellite instrument, we detect a strong increase in local mean NO$_2$ column concentrations after the plant began operations in late 2025. We then use TEMPO to estimate two-week-average NO$_x$ source rates from August 2025 to August 2026, calibrating against continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) data from US power plants. TEMPO first detected NO$_x$ emissions in December 2025 at 530$\\pm$220 kg h$^{-1}$. We find that emissions increased through August 2026, averaging 870$\\pm$165 kg h$^{-1}$ after February 2026, roughly 19$\\pm$4 times higher than expected from the facility's March 2026 permit for 41 turbines operating under best available control technology (BACT) requirements ($\\sim$47 kg h$^{-1}$). Emissions at the expected level would be undetectable by our TEMPO analysis.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2608.22153",
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Kevin D. Gauld"
    },
    {
      "name": "Daniel J. Varon"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nicholas Balasus"
    },
    {
      "name": "Daniel H. Cusworth"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/56s21f64qw1ex.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2608.22153",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "56s21f64qw1ex",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.22153",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.ao-ph"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1902|Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204191994",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.22153",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-19",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/56s21f64qw1ex.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:30:52Z",
      "native_id": "2608.22153",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.22153"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "earth",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.ao-ph",
      "subfield": "atmospheric"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Quantifying AI data center nitrogen oxide (NO$_x$) emissions from space",
  "title_text": "Quantifying AI data center nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions from space",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:33:41Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/56s21f64qw1ex",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}